Policy:        Part Time Faculty – Recruitment, Supervision, Evaluation

Source:            Faculty Handbook & College of Arts & Letters Dean’s Directive

Part Time Faculty – Procedures governing the recruitment, supervision, and evaluation of Part Time Faculty in the College of Arts and Letters

1. Recruitment

Solicitation of Part-time Faculty Applications

1. Departments or Schools may solicit applications from qualified individuals for part-time teaching positions in areas of instructional need. Departments’ solicitation may take different forms, including advertising, word of mouth, and direct contact. They may also receive unsolicited applications.

2. Departments may solicit names to establish pools of qualified instructors in areas of instruction need, with specific guidelines and criteria established by the Department.

Note: Distance Learning Services will be notified that they may not hire part-time faculty in any area of the College of Arts and Letters without prior notification and approval from the Department concerned.

1.1 Application

1. All part-time faculty members are required to submit a letter of application. This letter will include

a) A request to be considered for teaching in the Department either as part of a pool or for specific classes in specific terms

                        b) A current curriculum vita, with the names and contact details of 3 references.

            If the applicants have teaching experience, the department may request additional material including:           

                        c) Sample syllabi for the courses requested.

d) Student evaluations from NAU or other institutions.

e) a statement about innovation and change since the last course offering; teaching philosophy).

2.) These applications will be reviewed by an appropriate committee in the Department, if applicable. Note that the chair has ultimate responsibility for recruitment and evaluation. The following are intended as guidelines for committee use:

a) Use a standard matrix to note strengths and weaknesses of applicants.

b) The committee will make a recommendation to the chair for hire or non-hire of each applicant.

c) The chair will conduct a final review and notify candidates of the decision in writing.

Note: If DLS has requested approval from the Department of applicants to teach Distance courses, the Chair will notify DLS of the department’s decision.

1.2. Letter of Appointment

            The letter of appointment will include the following:

1. Statement that the faculty member is expected to carry out the teaching duties assigned to him or her by the Chair or Director. Part-time or temporary faculty members are not expected to carry out scholarly or service duties.

2. A statement that part-time faculty member are valued members of the Department during the time of their employment.

3. A statement that part-time faculty may not presume the continuation or renewal of employment.

4. A statement regarding the support available to the faculty member (computers, office space, xeroxing, phones, training opportunities, meetings, policies in Faculty and Student Handbooks, Departmental Policies etc.)

5. A statement about the materials needed for review of the faculty member’s teaching performance.

2. Supervision

The Chair or Director is responsible for supervising the part-time faculty members in the Department. The chair may appoint a faculty mentor to help part-time faculty if appropriate..

3. Evaluation

The chair will direct all new faculty members (including part-time faculty) to conduct mid-semester course evaluations in their first semester of teaching only in order to seek early constructive feedback from students. The chair will share with the faculty member the evaluations, and advise him or her accordingly.

Formal evaluation will be conducted annually by Departmental FSC. This evaluation will inform the chair’s decision to renew appointment if appropriate.

Procedure:

a) The FSC will use the evaluation criteria established in the initial letter of hire. Criteria may include analysis of grade distribution; student evaluations; appropriateness of syllabi, and, when possible, class observation.

b) The FSC will forward its evaluation to the Chair with recommendations for renewal, non-renewal, or renewal with improvement.

c) The Chair will write the instructor a letter about the Department’s decision.

d) The Chair, a subcommittee, or Distance learning Area coordinators may substitute the FSC in the evaluation of part-time faculty members after two annual evaluations of a faculty member.

4. Continuation Policies

1. The assignment of classes to a part-time faculty member can be made for no more than two semesters in advance. This policy applies to face to face classes on the Mountain campus; all classes in summer sessions, and all distance classes (web-based and face-to-face).